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| Hiking | 6.25 Miles |
685 AEG |
| | Hiking | 6.25 Miles | | | |
| 685 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Want to enjoy Boyton to the fullest? Without the jackhammers and the Enchanted noise rising from the resort...
Left Tempe this Sunday morning at 3 AM just after the monsoons had finished their purification, and headed to Sedona for a surreal trip into the rocks. The drive into town was mesmerizing! The mountains shrouded in mist, the whole world dripping with fragrance, almost intoxicating, and the red dawn over those monoliths breaking through the low clouds with just teasing hints of blue. Equally surreal was the completely empty streets of Sedona and the absolute lack of people and cars. My intention was to hike West Fork, however the 67 degree temperature had me thinking otherwise, so I opted for the red rock views and ancient voices of Boyton.
The trailhead was empty and the resort as silent as the mist cloaking the canyons at 5:30 this morning. This was simply an amazing trek into this beautiful canyon, with not one other person seen all the way to the box. The ascent to the end of the trail was very overgrown and I was completely soaked by that time, but the side excursion along the ledge on the blood red slickrock to those famous canyon views was inspiring. I also followed another side trail for a short distance toward the box before it bled into a forest of brush. More wonderful views of the canyon walls.
Sedona Hikes by Richard and Sherry Mangum lists the distance of this hike as 3.25 miles one way. I am more in agreement with Joe's 2.5, however, since I could not seem to find the ruins on the way in, I believe I followed every side trail between the box and the resort looking for them on the way back, adding enough to approximate 6 or so. I did find some neat stuff- a field of chaparral, a stone medicine wheel, more small fields of vortex cairns (which to many may seem a bit kooky, but ya gotta admit, walking around a corner into a FIELD of them is somewhat startling!), and lots of cliffs. Finally I located the ruins, and they were spectacular in the quiet sense of the sacred. The red walls have a way of lowering the voice and stilling the heart.
Said more than a few hellos on the way out, and the trailhead was full when I left, but I was still amazed at the solitude and serenity of this beautiful canyon on my soggy but sublime misty and mesmerizing morning. |
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A true outdoorsman, when treed by a bear, sits back and enjoys the view.
Lost? Hell, I ain't never been lost. But I have been a mite confused for a week or two.
-The Mountain Men |
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